Question

Morton is your colleague and another Associate Professional in Human Resources. He is wondering if someone who has diabetes under control by using insulin should be considered disabled. What is your advice?

A. Absolutely not. When a disabling condition is controlled by medication, it is no longer considered a disability.
B. When the disability is controlled with only limited insulin injections, it is no longer considered a disability.
C. Even if it is controlled by insulin, diabetes is still considered a disability under the ADAAA.
D. Unless the diabetes has been treated for more than 5 years, it is not considered a disability.

Answer 1

Diabetes is still considered a disability under the ADAAA, even if it is controlled by insulin, as the definition of disability includes conditions controlled by treatment methods.

Step-by-step explanation:

Morton, your colleague, is wondering if someone who has diabetes under control by using insulin should be considered disabled. The correct advice would be option C. Even if diabetes is controlled by insulin, diabetes is still considered a disability under the Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAAA). According to the ADAAA, the term disability is defined broadly and does not exclude conditions that are mitigated by treatment methods like medication or medical devices.

It is significant to understand that the purpose of the ADAAA was to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities, and for this reason, the definition of disability is inclusive of those who have conditions that are controlled with measures such as insulin injections. Therefore, unlike the narrow interpretations of the past, which might have excluded individuals whose conditions are controlled with medication or other therapies, the ADAAA ensures that even controlled conditions like diabetes are recognized as disabilities.